Employer-Sponsored Healthcare

Something that is very uniquely American (at least among developed countries) is the concept of tying health insurance to employment. In Canada, employers might offer supplemental plans to cover expenses not fully covered by the government-supplied program, but that’s not the same thing that the Americans are dealing with.

Without getting too far into the complicated history of healthcare in the U.S., it’s safe to say that it was a system hodge-podged together on a as needed basis. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Stabilization Act of 1942, which (in part) instituted a national pay freeze.

The purpose of the Stabilization Act was to fight inflation, in addition to reallocating funds for the war effort. But an unintended consequence was that employers had a difficult time recruiting new employees without the promise of more money or even potential raises in the near future.

As a result, some employers began offering health insurance to entice new applicants. The system looked nothing like it does today, and there weren’t nearly as many insurance companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield was even a non-profit (not that there are any insurance companies that can claim such a status today).

From there, competition and capitalism sort of took over. Despite a global recession and pandemic — during which millions of people lost their jobs, and therefore their health insurance — the United States has still not managed to find a way to fix this.

In 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare), which intended to provide more affordable healthcare to Americans by providing subsidies to people under certain income thresholds. It also established an online marketplace where individuals could go to purchase insurance coverage.

While the law was very controversial, there were two provisions that have been overwhelmingly popular. The first allowed young adults to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until age 26 (previously, it was age 22, or when they graduated from college). The second disallowed insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

Overall, this expanded health insurance access to millions of people. How affordable the insurance was… well, that part remains questionable.

Dire Circumstances

Millions of Americans are just one illness or medical emergency away from possible bankruptcy and financial ruin. According to a Bankrate survey, about 60% of Americans wouldn’t have savings high enough to cover an unexpected expense, such as a car or home repair.

The general rule of thumb is to have about $1,000 in a bank account to cover emergency expenses, but most medical emergencies will cost way more than that.

At this point, 137 million Americans are struggling under the crushing weight of medical debt. Medical expenses are among the top reasons as to why someone would consider withdrawing money from their retirement accounts early. Additionally, medical debt has become the number one reason Americans file bankruptcy.

There are some who argue that those who are wealthy won’t really have to worry about the cost of their medical care and that they’ll always have access to good health insurance and providers. That’s debatable but one thing is for sure though, it’s the middle and lower classes that are likely to suffer more.

International Online Pharmacies

While health insurance premiums are a major issue for many people, another major hurdle — even after they’re enrolled in an insurance plan — is the cost of their prescription drugs. If you go to your local pharmacy and one month of your medication is $500.00 or possibly much more, how are you supposed to cover that cost? Even if you could pay it this month, how will you pay it next month?

In the worst cases, Americans are actually dying because they can’t afford the inflated prices of lifesaving medications. However, even the most basic and commonly prescribed medications, like statins, antidepressants, or EpiPens, have doubled or tripled in price in recent years. In some cases, these price increases have ensured that lifesaving medication is out of reach for the average American individual or family — even with health insurance.

Knowing this information, it shouldn’t be surprising that more and more Americans are looking for alternatives to the profit-driven pharmaceutical industry in the United States to get the medications they need. While some Americans have the means and circumstances to cross the border into Canada to shop for their medications in person, shopping for prescription medication online at a reputable Canadian pharmacy is a much better option for most Americans.

Online Canadian pharmacies are an easy and accessible option for American consumers. However, pharmaceutical companies and the chain drugstore lobby in the United States (and even other more official entities) have been spreading misinformation for many years in order to prevent people from shopping outside the U.S.

There’s a certain amount of due diligence involved when choosing any pharmacy, whether it's in the United States, Canada or abroad. You need to ensure that you’re getting the medication you need in the correct dose. Especially since many American chain pharmacies are renowned for doing a terrible job when it comes to providing quality patient care. Some have even been accused of hiding proof of the poor care they are alleged to provide

This makes it extra-important to separate fact from the fiction purveyed by Big Pharma when it comes to shopping for prescription medications from pharmacies in Canada, which can be a perfectly safe and affordable alternative for many American citizens.

MYTH 1: Online Canadian Pharmacies Aren’t Safe

Buying anything on the internet involves a certain degree of risk. Whether you're shopping for a new computer or even a pair of sneakers on Amazon or an unknown e-commerce site, there’s always a possibility that the product, manufacturer, or vendor is misrepresenting their business and their product (whether intentionally or unintentionally).

There’s always the possibility that you won’t get the item you ordered, or that it won’t look the way you thought it would, or that it’s simply not what you were hoping to buy.

The stakes are obviously much higher when it comes to shopping for prescription drugs on the internet, and you should never buy anything — especially your medication — from a vendor or website that you haven't verified and feel 100% confident is safe to use.

We’re happy to report that legitimate online Canadian pharmacies adhere to safety protocols and standards that are comparable to American pharmacies or higher.

In fact, studies have shown that American pharmacies are not automatically "safer" than pharmacies in Canada or Europe, and they can be prone to making errors. The New York Times reports:

It’s fair to say that everyone makes mistakes but staffing issues at American pharmacies (as implied in that final paragraph) could lead to catastrophic events. Regardless of where you purchase your medication, be sure to check the pill before taking it. It should look the same, even if the packaging or brand name is different. (Brands go by different names in different countries — but it’s still the same medication.)

Even believing that every pharmacist has the best of intentions (and with very few exceptions, we believe this to be true), it can be argued that the for-profit American healthcare system can sometimes put both pharmacists and consumers in dangerous situations.

The pressure to constantly increase corporate profits and meet endless shareholder demands combined with low staffing and busy pharmacies is a recipe for disaster. If they’re expected to answer phones, speak to customers, and fill prescriptions all at the same time, it could be argued that catastrophic mistakes and generally poor patient care and service will be inevitable.

In Canada, prescription drug prices are regulated, and the government has the power to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to keep costs down and to protect consumers from price gouging. As a result, prescription medications are not treated nearly as much as commodities and pharmacists are not so incentivized to cut corners.

As too many Americans have tragically learned, a healthcare and pharmaceutical industry with significant influence over government and carte blanche to set pricing — regardless of the consequences — can result in exorbitant costs.

At NorthWestPharmacy.com, we take steps to protect our customers and help ensure prescription and drug safety and satisfaction in a number of ways:

We like to encourage current and prospective customers to consult with a NorthWestPharmacy.com pharmacist if they have questions about their medication. We believe that pharmacist counseling enhances patient safety and regimen adherence.

Developing a relationship with your pharmacist is one of the best ways to your health. Unlike at many chain drugstores you may be familiar with, our pharmacists will actually take the time to understand your health condition and your medication profile so that you can get the quality healthcare you deserve. There is no cost for consulting our pharmacists. It is completely free of charge.

MYTH 2: Online Pharmacies Have Poor Customer Service

Good customer service is the hallmark of a reputable and safe Canadian pharmacy. Before you place an order for medication online, make sure that you can contact the customer service center or pharmacy directly to discuss your needs before placing an order.

There are many disreputable companies and organizations on the internet selling dangerous or counterfeit products in North America and around the world, but a trustworthy and legitimate Canadian pharmacy will always prioritize high quality customer service.

At NorthWestPharmacy.com, we do everything in our power to make sure our customers are satisfied, including keeping hours in our call center seven days a week, reachable via a toll-free number. That's why we have collected over 400,000 reviews and earned a five star rating.

MYTH 3: You Won’t Know Where Your Medications Come From

Canada has very stringent safety protocols and requirements in place to protect Canadian citizens from dangerous or ineffective medications, and that extends to our American customers for the Canadian drugs we source for them. Drugs sourced from other countries and supplied by NorthWestPharmacy.com are also subject to significant vetting for authenticity.

The prescription medications sold in Canada and elsewhere are the same or very similar to the prescriptions sold in the United States in most cases, and many of the most commonly prescribed medications are manufactured by the same pharmaceutical companies for a global customer base.

The medication packaging may look different, but a simple Google search will show you that it goes by a different brand name in different countries. For example, the popular asthma and COPD medication Advair is known as Seretide in some countries — but it’s still functionally the exact same medication.

When you're buying your medications online from a trusted international and certified Canadian pharmacy, you're typically getting a product that has met safety and screening protocols that are comparable to those in the United States.

To further ensure your safety, every medication sold from NorthWestPharmacy.com is sourced from our trusted suppliers that have been certified by CIPA and meet all guidelines and standards that are required to maintain that certification.

MYTH 4: Canadian Pharmacies Aren’t Monitored

Safety and quality control go hand in hand, certified international and Canadian pharmacies are no exception. Despite the fear mongering that goes on and the propaganda surrounding medications from Canada and other countries, quality control throughout the supply chain is a given in the Canadian and other markets.

Reputable online Canadian pharmacies have at least one advisory organization to certify that they are using proper safety standards and following best practices. As we’ve already mentioned, the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA) is the main entity responsible for setting standards for these online pharmacies.

NorthWestPharmacy.com is proudly certified by CIPA, as well as the International Pharmacy Association of British Columbia (IPABC), which is specifically responsible for certifying online pharmacies that dispense from a licensed pharmacy based within the province of British Columbia.

In order to earn these two certifications, the online pharmacy must at a minimum:

Following both CIPA and IPABC requirements, we can assure you that NorthWestPharmacy.com is a safe and reliable online pharmacy, but we understand that taking our word for shouldn’t be enough. Please check out their websites and read our customer reviews before making your decision.

In Canada, where access to affordable medication is not treated as a profit-making industry to the extent it is in America, getting safe, high quality medications into the hands of consumers is the point. In general, many prescription drugs are cheaper in Canada and other countries due to government regulations that keep them affordable, not for lack of quality.

MYTH 5: You Get Lower Quality Generic Versions of Brand Name Drugs

One of the many factors that makes so many medications unaffordable in the United States is lack of access and availability to generic versions of popular brand name drugs.

It’s true that not every brand name drug has a generic alternative available. It’s also true that sometimes one version of a medication is more appropriate and effective than another, depending on the patient and their individual circumstances. However, profit and market factors also play a big role.

For example, many pharmaceutical companies are said to abuse the patent system in the United States to keep cheaper, generic versions of popular medications off the market for years — and sometimes decades. They also spend hundreds of millions of dollars on marketing and advertising campaigns designed to sell the American public on higher priced brand name drugs.

When you get a prescription, ask your doctor and pharmacist if a generic alternative is available and appropriate to help you save money. In the U.S., generics are usually the default at pharmacies because the insurance company wants it that way.

But when you shop at NorthWestPharmacy.com, your medications will be dispensed as prescribed and as selected by you. You will always know what you're buying and what you can expect.

MYTH 6: Lower Prices "Stifle" Innovation and Make it Harder to Develop New Drugs and Therapies

Of all the myths surrounding the price of prescription drugs and the justifications for astronomical drug prices in the United States, the “innovation” excuse is probably one of the most pervasive and misleading.

While it's true that pharmaceutical companies tend to spend a significant share of revenue on research and development costs, the average company only spends about 17% — far less than what they imply. According to industry data:

The truth is that many of the medications that have faced the steepest price hikes in recent years are medications that have been on the market for years, with little to no changes or improvements in some cases.

In fact, the pharmaceutical industry imposes automatic price hikes on hundreds of medications across the board in the United States every year.

Often, organizations that promote pharmaceutical and pharmacy interests in the United States argue that Americans shouldn’t be able to buy drugs from Canadian pharmacies, as it might have a domino effect on the price of drugs in the United States.

It’s unlikely that the cost of prescription drugs will get under control until the U.S. government decides to step in and given the lobbying effort to prevent this from happening, it’s probably going to be an uphill battle.